


My Fate: Thunderstorm

by KyimBlack



Category: Skulduggery Pleasant - Derek Landy, Supernatural
Genre: Cults, Other, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-05
Updated: 2020-03-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:14:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 15
Words: 17,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23030773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KyimBlack/pseuds/KyimBlack
Summary: 3rd Book in My Fate Series-------------------------------Two years have passed since Morrigan McCord found out her identity.A year and three months since Morrigan's other self, Xylia, killed the vampire, Sebastian.A year and three months since Morrigan became a Monster Hunter.A year and three months since Morrigan McCord became the most angry, mentally unstable person she knows.And she doesn't even know.
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

Morrigan let the breeze cool her face. The air was hot and sticky. She leaned forward onto the balcony, looking over the Nile river.

She had always wanted to go to Egypt. She loved the idea of the pyramids, street stalls, the river itself. The food. Oh gosh, the food was amazing.

Morrigan smiled to herself. She was really enjoying life lately.

Yea ok, sure, she was roaming all over the world hunting and killing monsters, but that's what she did. Her and the rest of the Hunters.

"Morrigan."

She looked over her shoulder. Dai Maybury came out of the hotel room and onto the balcony.

"There you are."

Morrigan turned back to the view. "Here I am."

He leaned on the railing beside her, watching her.

"Have you thought about it anymore?"

Morrigan's smile left her lips. She reached into a small pocket in her jeans, and took out a tiny, gold circlet. She held it in her hand, studying it.

"I don't know what to do. It seems too soon considering our life span, but then again...The things we do, our life can be ripped away at any time." She looked up at Dai. "They still don't know?"

Dai smiled gently at her. "I haven't said a word."

Morrigan put the ring back in her pocket, securely, and looked back out over the water. "Good. Let's keep it that way for now. Any more news on this thing? It's supposed to be in the city somewhere, right?"

Dai followed her gaze to the water. "It should be around here somewhere. It was spotted in this area about two nights ago. People have gone back to smearing lambs' blood." He made a face.

"Good. Hopefully there won't be anymore missing kids. We have to find this thing before the day after tomorrow. I'm not missing a chance to go home."

He nodded. "And see Anton. He's going to want an answer."

Morrigan looked at him with a scour look. "I am aware. I'm going to avoid that particular conversation for as long as possible."

"It's already been too long. You can't hold off forever."

"I can try."

They heard footsteps and turned to see Donegan Bane and Gracious O'Callahan come outside.

"We just heard there was a Lamqoux spotted not too far from here. Ready to go?"

Morrigan nodded and stood up straight. "I'll get my jacket. Where's Fletcher?"

He appeared beside her. She flung out her arm and got him in the chest.

"I'm here." He coughed.

Morrigan rolled her eyes. "I told you not to do that."

She walked into the bedroom she was using and picked up her jacket. It was a hot night, but these things were dangerous, and she wasn't about to take any chances being scratched by one.

"Ok." She said as she stepped back out onto the balcony and pulling on her jacket. "Let's go."

Fletcher stepped into the middle of them, and then they were standing in a alleyway, not too far from the hotel.

They looked around, but couldn't see anything. Morrigan started down the alley, slowly. She pulled out her daggers. They glinted in the moonlight.

She got the end of the alleyway. There was a right turn that went into the city; the left turn would take them further down the Nile and out of town.

Morrigan hesitated. She wasn't sure which way it was likely to go. Turning slowly, she heard something faint to the left of her.

She beckoned the others to her.

"What is it?" Donegan asked. Too loudly.

"Shh. Listen." She pointed to her left. They all stopped and listened.

"Sounds like a baby crying."

"I thought so, too. Fletcher, you go and check it out. Just check. We'll catch up."

"Why don't I just take you?"

"No, because there's too many of us. It'll be quieter with just you."

Fletcher stepped up to her. "I'm not going by myself. Sorry."

She blinked and she was the other end of the alley. 

She glared at Fletcher, but said nothing. 

She heard the crying a little clearer now.

Morrigan led the way, keeping low. The moonlight made it hard to keep to the shadows, as there was hardly any. They turned a corner and stopped. There was a small mud-brick house nestled between two buildings.

There, climbing up through the window, was a small slick black creature. It stopped when it got to the window sill, and looked around. It hopped down into the room.

Morrigan looked at Fletcher. "Lamqoux."

They trotted over to the house, and crouched against the wall.

"Uh, gross." Fletcher held his hand up. It was dripping with goo. Morrigan wasn't entirely sure what it was, but she was glad it was Fletcher and not her covered in it.

Morrigan waited a few seconds and then risked a peek into the room. It was the baby's room, and it was still crying. Where it's parents were, Morrigan had no clue. She couldn't see the creature either.

She ducked down again and took Fletcher's hand. She showed him what the room looked like.

"Five minutes and come back." She whispered.

He nodded and disappeared.


	2. Chapter 2

Morrigan took a few deep breaths, stood up. 

She had been practicing with the air and she had finally managed to get the hang of it. She felt the currents lift her up, and she climbed through the window.

The baby was still crying. It was almost hysterical.

_Where are the parents?_

Morrigan crouched beside a large toy-box, out of the light. She looked around. She couldn't see the creature anywhere.

She stood up slowly, putting her daggers in her boots.

_Bad idea._

Morrigan shook her head. She knew that. It was a horrible idea.

She stepped slowly up to the cot, and looked down. The baby wasn't quite a year old yet. It had kicked it's blankets off and was only wearing a nappy. It kicked and screamed. Morrigan felt the baby's distress.

_Bad idea..._

Morrigan leaned in and picked the baby up. She rocked it and comforted it. The baby was scared. It was shaking.

"It's ok." She whispered to the baby. "I won't let it get you."

Morrigan heard a low, guttural growl coming from the toy-box.

_Of course._

The lid swung open slowly. For a few seconds, all Morrigan could see were the deep, red eyes staring at her out of the darkness.

_Not creepy at all._

The Lamqoux slowly climbed out of the box. It got to the floor, and regarded Morrigan for a moment, then it slowly started to stand.

Morrigan held the baby closer to her, and widened her eyes. This thing was taller than she thought. It was only a few inches shorter than her.

It raised it's clawed hand. Morrigan gasped and spun her heel, covering the baby. The creatures claws raked her back, but luckily didn't get through.

_Thank you, Ghastly._

The creature struck again and again. Morrigan held the baby tightly. It had started to cry again.

Where are it's parents?

Morrigan quickly pulled down her jacket zip, and maneuvered the baby inside. The baby held onto her singlet straps as though it knew it's life depended on it. She zipped the jacket back up, covering the baby fully.

She grabbed her daggers, and spun on the creature. She lashed out with her left dagger, catching it in the leg. It roared and fell backwards.

_Where is Fletcher?_

Morrigan jumped up, made sure the baby wasn't going to fall, then went towards the creature. It leaped up at her, fangs bared, dripping with whatever poison it possessed. It's tongue slithered out at her. It was forked just like a snakes'.

She sliced out at it. It screeched, and it's tongue fell to the floor.

_Ew. Gross._

The creature stepped back and glared at her. It's green, gooey blood dripped from it's mouth, where it's tongue had been.

_Hurry up, Fletcher!_

The creature charged at her, opening it's mouth. Morrigan put an arm under the baby and one over her face. It's jaws clamped down on the sleeve. It had strong jaws. She tried to push it away, or kick it, but doing either of those things while holding a baby made it impossible.

Finally, Fletcher appeared with Donegan, Gracious and Dai. Donegan and Gracious grabbed the creature and pulled it off her.

Morrigan tossed her daggers to Dai, and struggling to get to her feet. Fletcher came over and helped her up.

Gracious and Donegan turned and held the creature in place while Dai used one of the daggers to stab it in the chest. It squealed as he carved a hole where it's heart should be.

It took a little bit, but he finally managed to pull out it's heart. The creature went limp, and Donegan and Gracious let go of it. Morrigan walked over to the body and held out her hand. Dai tossed the heart next to it's lifeless corpse. Morrigan incinerated them both.

She let out a breath and unzipped her jacket. The baby looked at her with wide eyes and she carefully pulled it out.

"Told you I wouldn't let it get you." She smiled and the baby actually smiled back.

She looked at the others. "I'm not leaving the baby here. I'm going to sneak into the parents room. I'll meet you back out the window."

They nodded and started to climb out the window, as Morrigan turned and carefully stepped out of the baby's room into the hallway. She looked both ways, and looked at the baby.

"Where's mum?"

The baby looked around and pointed to the left. "Mum."

Morrigan quietly walked down the hallway until the baby pointed to a door. "Mum."

Morrigan carefully opened the door, hoping it wouldn't creak. It didn't. She stepped inside, and saw the baby's parents passed out.

"Have you been keeping them up all night?" She whispered to the baby. "Probably shouldn't do that anymore. They didn't hear you crying for help. Be nice to them from now on."

"Mum."

Morrigan put the baby on the end of the bed, and watched it crawl up to it's parents. The baby poked them until they stirred.

Morrigan turned and left the room as she heard cries of surprise.

Morrigan jumped through the baby's window and walked quickly back to the alley where the others were waiting for her.

"Where were the parents?"

"In bed." She held out her hand to Dai as he passed her daggers back. She slipped them into her boots. "They were passed out. Baby must have kept them awake. Don't think it'll be doing that again."

Fletcher held out his arms, and they all arrived back at the hotel.


	3. Chapter 3

Morrigan sighed as she noticed her jacket. 

Blood stains. Again.

"I dibs first shower." She took off towards the shower before the boys could beat her there.

She turned the shower on and took her jacket off. She put it on the sink, took off her singlet and placed it on top.

Fletcher appeared next to her. She spun and hit him. "No looking."

"You still have your bra on." He gasped holding his stomach.

"Besides the point. Turn around."

He turned around as she got undressed, stepped into the shower and pulled the curtain closed.

"There. Now, what do you want?"

She couldn't see him, but from where his voice was, he had turned towards the shower.

"You still expect me to pretend something's not going on?"

Morrigan poked her head out of the curtain.

"What are you talking about?"

"First, the whole thing with Ravel, which you still haven't told me about by the way, then I see you with Dai sometimes."

Morrigan frowned at him. "What are you implying?"

"You know exactly what I'm implying."

Morrigan drew the curtain again, and didn't speak. He should know her well enough by now to know she wouldn't do something like that.

She washed her hair, and held her hand out for a towel. She knew he was still there, he even though he was as quiet as her.

He passed her the towel, and turned around. Morrigan turned the taps off, wrapped the towel around herself and stepped out of the shower.

She looked at Fletcher's back, and then at her pants. 

She sighed. She was going to have to say something.

"Alright." She said quietly. "I'll tell you what's going on, but I'll have to tell Gracious and Donegan as well, so could you wait until I get dressed?"

"You could tell me about the Ravel thing now." He turned. She went to hit him, but she missed.

She sighed. "Fine. But I'm still going to get dressed."

He turned his back again as she started to dry herself. "Nobody knows what happened with Ravel. I haven't told anyone about it. Not full details anyway." She sighed again, as she pulled on her pants. She still had the towel covering her.

"So, what actually happened?"

Morrigan put her bra on, and turned to him, hands on her hips. "I thought I told you. No looking."

Fletcher shrugged. "Not like I care what you look like."

Morrigan rolled her eyes. "Whatever, dude. Still..." She lowered her eyes. 

She was deliberately avoiding telling him, and she knew he knew it.

"Ravel kind of...attacked me at the party. Before the whole thing with Sebastian and the vampires. Before Skulduggery told everyone who I was."

"Attacked you how?"

Morrigan shifted uncomfortably, and rubbed her arms. She was suddenly feeling cold.

"I was getting changed in my room, and when I turned around, he was standing there. Staring at me." She shivered. "I can't get the way he looked at me out of my head. He came up to me and..."

She looked at Fletcher. She turned, grabbed her singlet and pulled it on.

She felt Fletcher step up to her. "And?"

Morrigan shivered again, and turned to Fletcher. She looked at him for a moment, then, slowly, placed her hand on his temple.

"It'll be easier to show you." She closed her eyes.

_"You look beautiful."_

_"What do you want?"_

_Ravel came closer, not saying a word. Morrigan attempted to walk past him to get to the door._

_Ravel grabbed Morrigan's arm and spun her around. Morrigan frowned at him._

_Ravel grabbed her other arm and pulled her to him._

_He stared at her with those creepy eyes. He grinned. Evil grin._

_He forcibly kissed her, tearing her lips as his teeth crushed her mouth. She felt her face drain of colour. Hot flushes. She was scared._

_She lifted her feet and kicked him in the stomach._

_He dropped her and she ran for the door._

The next thing Morrigan showed Fletcher was just after she had entered the office.

_Morrigan looked into the mirror._

_Her hair was messy and tangled, like she'd been in a fight. Her neck was red, her face was pale, streaked with tears. Her lips were torn and bloody._

_She looked down to her arms where Ravel had grabbed her. Bruises had already started to form in the shape of fingerprints._

Morrigan took her hand away from Fletcher and looked down.

"There. Now you know." She tried to shake the tears away, and turned grabbing her jacket. "You can stop asking about it now."

She felt him grabbed her and turn her around. He hugged her tightly.

She blinked and hugged him back. She didn't bother trying to stop her tears. She knew it wouldn't work anyway.

"I'm sorry that happened." He said quietly.

She smiled into his chest. "Not like similar things haven't happened to me anyway. I should be used to life throwing spiked curve balls at me." 

She pulled away from him and smiled at him. "I have you guys now."

Fletcher ruffled her hair. "Yes. Yes, you do. And nothing like that is going to happen again."

Morrigan shrugged, putting on her jacket. "Never say never. Come on. I have something else to tell you all."

\-------------------------

The other guys were all talking about the Lamqoux when they walked into the lounge-room area of the hotel room.

Morrigan put her hands in her pockets and scanned over them with her eyes. 

She sighed. Tonight was quickly becoming emotionally draining.

"Guys."

They all turned to her.

"I think you all need to sit down. I need to tell you something."

The guys all looked at each other, but did as she suggested.

She moved to sit on the coffee table, and shifted so she could see all of four of them.

"What's going on?" Donegan asked. Gracious sat forward from his place on the couch. Dai was sitting on the arm of the chair beside the couch. Fletcher had sat next to her on the table.

Morrigan hesitated for a second, then put her hand in her pocket. Her hand closed around the ring, and she pulled it out. She held her fist in her lap.

"A few months ago, when I was back home..." She stopped. She wasn't entirely sure how to word what she wanted to say. She sighed, and just opened her hand.

The guys all looked at her hand, then looked at her, shock on their faces. Dai wasn't though. He already knew.

Gracious narrowed his eyes at her. "You're engaged?"

Morrigan shook her head. "Not exactly."

"What do you mean, not exactly?" Donegan pointed to the ring. "You have that."

"Yea. If you weren't, you wouldn't have it, right?" Fletcher pointed out.

"Guys, seriously, I don't know. Nobody else knows except you guys. I don't know what to do."

They were all quiet for a moment. Dai looked over at her.

"Anton wouldn't stop you from coming with us if you said yes, would he?"

Morrigan shrugged. "I've thought about that, but I don't know exactly. It's one thing to be as we are now, it's another thing entirely if we were..." She held up the ring.

Gracious tapped his chin. "A few months ago...?"

Morrigan shifted in her seat. "Yea. About two months I think."

"And you decided not to say anything?"

"I'm still trying to work everything out."

"You're not going to leave us, are you?"

Morrigan looked up sharply. "No. Never in a million years. You guys are family to me. Keep me out of trouble. So to speak. I'm not going anywhere, regardless of what happens."

Gracious grinned. "Well then, good."

He got up and hugged her. She closed her fist around the ring again and tried to breathe. 

"Too tight." She managed to say.

Gracious laughed and let go. Morrigan felt the oxygen return to her lungs.

She yawned and put the ring back in her pocket.

"I'm tired. What time are we leaving tomorrow?" She looked at Fletcher.

He shrugged. "Whatever time we decide to get up, I suppose."

Morrigan grinned. "We get to sleep in?"

He nodded. "Yea. For once."


	4. Chapter 4

Morrigan woke up to the sun's heat on her face. 

She groaned and pulled the blanket over her head. She had taken to only wearing her underwear to bed, it was that hot. The blanket wasn't helping though, so she put it down again.

She heard noises coming from the kitchen and groaned again. The guys were already up, which meant if she didn't get up now, they'd be in there to harass her shortly.

She got up and pulled on her clothes. She opened her door and called out to them.

"Someone make me coffee." She kept the door open as she packed her backpack, and walked out to sit on the couch. She put her bag down with everyone else's.

"Here." Donegan handed her a cup, and sat down next to her.

"Thank you." She took it and sipped it quickly. She looked around.

"Where's everyone else?"

Donegan sipped his own coffee, before he answered. "Gracious and Dai just left to get food, and I'm pretty sure Fletcher's still in bed."

Morrigan laughed. "Sounds like him."

Donegan watched Morrigan over the rim of his cup. She shifted slightly. His eyes were intense.

"What? You're creeping me out."

"I was just wondering..."

Morrigan eyed him cautiously. She sipped her coffee slowly.

"Wondering what?"

"Just why are you worrying about this thing with Anton, when you've got other things going on."

Morrigan frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well, have you dealt with your anger issues? What about the reoccurring nightmares from when you were with the vampires? This Xylia person that lives in your head?"

"I'm dealing with it all the only way I know how. Monster hunting."

Donegan put a hand up in defense. "All I'm saying is maybe it's not a bad thing that you've put Anton on the back-burner. You need to heal yourself before you try to get serious with someone."

Morrigan stared at him. "I am serious with Anton. I just..." She trailed off. She knew what Donegan meant.

Donegan nodded. "You need to work on yourself. If you don't, it could end badly for you two."

Morrigan bit her lip. He was right. She didn't want to lose Anton, but she couldn't lose herself either. Not again.

"Why so serious in here?"

Morrigan and Donegan looked up to see Fletcher was finally up. The hotel room door opened and, Gracious and Dai came in.

"We come bearing gifts." Gracious announced as he passed Fletcher, and set it all down on the coffee table. Dai closed the door, and come over with a few souvenirs.

Morrigan grinned. She was hungry.

\--------------------------

After they had finished the food, they checked nothing had been left behind. Morrigan dipped her fingers into her pocket. The ring was still there. She breathed a sigh of relief. She always doubled check it.

Dai had given her an arm band that clipped to her upper arm. It was a faint gold. Fool's gold, almost, with Ancient Egyptian carvings. Anubis was the main character depiction. 

Morrigan loved it and attached it to her arm straight away.

She put her bag on her back.

"Everyone ready?"

They all nodded.

"I'll drop you off first." Fletcher said to her.

She blinked and they were standing in the clearing where Anton's Midnight Hotel always sprung up.

"Oh. I think we're a little early."

Morrigan laughed. "You think? It's not even here yet."

"I can drop you somewhere else if you like?"

"No, it's ok. I can practice a bit before he gets here." She turned to the other Monster Hunters.

"We'll call you. If not, we'll see you in a few days." Gracious said to her.

She nodded and hugged them all.

"Don't forget what I said." Donegan whispered in her ear as he hugged her. She nodded.

They all disappeared.

\-------------------------

Now that she was alone, it was awfully quiet. She put her bag down and looked around. It was daylight here, but so much colder than Luxor.

She shivered. She still had a few hours before the hotel got here.

Morrigan kicked herself for refusing Fletcher's offer, and debated calling Skulduggery.

She hadn't spoken to him, let alone seen him, for ages. It wasn't intentional. It was just how things panned out.

Morrigan picked up a few logs and sticks, and placed them all in a pile.

She pressed a finger to the pile of sticks. It lit up quickly. She hoped it would warm up soon. It was freezing.

Morrigan sat down, chin on her knees and stared into the fire. A few minutes passed and then she started to see images from her past in the flames.

_She first saw her parents house, burning. She heard the faint screaming. The screaming faded from being her mothers to being her fathers, and then her own._

_She saw the building where she had her Surge._

_She saw herself writhing in pain, sobbing._

_She saw the group on men come into the building._

_She saw the way they looked at her. She hadn't been able to stop them. She had screamed and screamed, both from the pain of the Surge and from what they were doing to her._

_She saw herself suddenly stop screaming, and instead started laughing. She watched herself stand-up, her head down._

_She could only just make out the smile under her own hair. She looked up at the men. Those eyes. They had been violet._

_Morrigan watched as Xylia clenched her tiny fists, and throw out her arms as she laughed maniacally. She had incinerated the men and reduced them to less than ash._

_The scene changed again to when Morrigan had met Sebastian. He was nice enough to begin with. After she finally agreed to go back to his place, he had locked her up in a soundproof room. He would slide food and water through a little latch under the door each day. It took about six months before she even started talking to him again._

_After that, it had gone from bad to worse. Sebastian had used her however he wanted. He kept control of her in every possible way . He had eventually started using her as a drugged-up blood bag. He would allow certain vampires he deemed 'worthy' to use her as well._

_Mau had been one of these vampires._

_The scene showed Morrigan being chained to the stone wall they used whenever they wanted to feed._

_Mau was the only one in the room._

_Morrigan had been so drugged, she didn't even realize that when he started to feed, his eyes had gone wide._

_They dilated._

_He had started to turn, and instead of feeding like normal, he had ripped a chunk out of her shoulder._

_She had screamed so loud, Sebastian burst open the door, turned himself, and attacked Mau._

_Morrigan hadn't passed out, but she had gone limp against the wall._

_By the time Mau gave up, and limped away, Morrigan had already lost a lot of blood. Sebastian had, had to sew the wound up. He couldn't use her at all for a whole month._

_The scene changed again to when Sebastian, high off whatever he injected into Morrigan, had challenged another vampire, Molloch, to a challenge. Molloch had refused intially, because of Sebastian's state, but Sebastian wouldn't take no for an answer. They had both gone down into a fighting pit made of stone, and turned._

_The fight didn't take long. Sebastian, being in the state he was, had lasted less than half an hour. Molloch had put him close to death. Molloch had looked up at her, she had looked at him._

_She smiled slightly._

_She was happy he had beaten Sebastian. She figured someone had to put him in his place, since she couldn't._

_Molloch had climbed out of the pit and offered her his hand._

_She looked from him, to Sebastian, back to Molloch._

_She took his hand._

_She hadn't actually witnessed the altercation between Molloch and Sebastian, when Molloch told Sebastian he wanted her as a tribute for his loss. All she knew was Sebastian had been furious._

_She had to be chained to a bed for the first few weeks. Morrigan had been coming down off all the drugs they had injected, as well as the addiction of being bitten every day for so many years._

_Morrigan saw her flame memory-self sit down and talk to Molloch about wanting to leave. He hadn't liked the idea, but he didn't stop her._

She saw her memory-self walk out and start wandering the country-side. She saw herself hide from Sebastian's vampires when they thought they had found her.

_She saw herself start practicing with her powers._

_Morrigan saw herself wandering through some woods, and seeing a house. Gordon's house._

_She watched herself walk into the house, meet Gordon and go to bed. She watched as the next morning she met Skulduggery and Valkyrie._

Morrigan smiled to herself as the images faded. She remembered how much they didn't like her from the start, and now look where she was.

She felt something shift behind her. She glanced over her shoulder.

"Can't scare me this time."

"I wasn't planning on it." Skulduggery stepped out from behind a tree.

"So. How much of that did you see?"

He stood next to her, hands in his pockets, looking at the fire.

"Would you believe me if I said not much?"

"Absolutely not." She looked back at the fire. "You saw all of it, didn't you?"

Skulduggery didn't speak for a minute.

"I may or may not have arrived just before the images began playing."

Morrigan sighed and stood up. "Sorry about that. On another note, guess what?"

"What?"

Morrigan grinned. "We may or may not have saved a baby's life last night. From a Lamqoux. You know, it's extremely difficult to do anything with a baby in your jacket."

Skulduggery looked at her.

"I may or may not have picked the baby up. It was hysterical, what was I meant to do? Either way, neither of us were bitten or scratched, the Lamqoux is dead and the baby is safe."

He nodded. "Good."

Morrigan smiled. After what he saw in the flames, she guessed that was as good as she was going to get. 


	5. Chapter 5

Morrigan watched the fire a little longer, then held out her hand. The fire danced higher. 

She looked at Skulduggery. He was watching what she was doing.

She turned her head to the flames. She held out her other hand. She had been practicing, and talking to Xylia about her fire powers. Xylia had taught her how to conjure a figure made of flames, if she ever needed to.

Morrigan twisted her hands slightly and lifted. The flames danced as the coals rose and fell. She lifted her hands a little more. The coals shifted even more until an arm pressed down onto the ground and a figure pulled itself up out of fire. It stood up in front of Morrigan.

The figure was made of coals, and covered in flames. It had no face, or any distinguishing features.

She smiled at it and looked at Skulduggery.

"I learnt something new."

"I can see that." He went to walk around it. 

The figure turned to face him.

Morrigan stepped up to the fire person. "It's ok. He's safe."

The fire person looked at Skulduggery again, but did nothing.

"How do you get rid of it?" He asked.

Morrigan thought for a moment. She wasn't entirely sure. All Xylia said was that all Morrigan had to do was ask.

Morrigan looked at the fire person. "I'm not in any danger. You can go home, if you like." She said it nicely, and smiled.

The fire person stood there for another few seconds, looking at Skulduggery. It turned to her, bowed deeply, then returned to the fire and disappeared.

_Well done._

Morrigan looked from the fire to Skulduggery, eyes wide and mouth open.

"I didn't know it would do that." She grinned.

Skulduggery said nothing, but he was studying her.

"You're not wearing the ring."

Morrigan's grinned slipped from her lips as she felt her face drain of colour.

"How do you know about that?" She thought about the possibilities.

Dai? Unlikely, but possible.

Gracious and Donegan? Highly unlikely.

Fletcher? That's the only one that made sense.

"Anton called just after you left."

Morrigan frowned. "Anton told you?"

Skulduggery stood in front of her, tilting his head. That action had really started to bother her after she realized she did the same thing.

"You really didn't think he wouldn't ask me first?"

Morrigan blinked. The thought never crossed her mind.

"I have no response to that. None whatsoever."

"Have you given him an answer yet?"

Morrigan started to scratch the back of her neck. "The fact you have to ask should be answer enough." She stopped scratching and slowly reached into her pocket. She pulled out the ring and looked at it. She felt tears start to well up in her eyes.

In all honesty, she had wanted to say yes, but so many things had stopped her. Being a Monster Hunter was one of those things. She didn't want to stop hunting. Another thing was like what Donegan had said. Morrigan had to work on herself.

She looked up at Skulduggery.

"What do you think I should do?"

She could have sworn that if he had eyes, he would have blinked at her.

"I can't tell you what to do here, Morrigan."

She chuckled. "Well, that's very unlike you."

Morrigan looked at the ring again.

Slowly, very slowly, she lifted it out of the palm of her hand and slipped it on her finger. She smiled at how well it fit her. She was very small, so the fact that it fit was significant. She liked both how it felt and how it looked.

"So, are you going to give him an answer?"

Morrigan blinked and looked up at Skulduggery. She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, and nodded. 

"I think so. As long as he's ok with me staying a Monster Hunter...I'm not giving that up. I'm not giving those guys up. That's not happening."

Skulduggery nodded. "I told him you'd say that."

"Hmm. And what did he say?"

"Maybe you should ask him that yourself."

He pointed and the hotel started to grow on the other side of the clearing. She grinned.

She waved her arm and put the fire out. She waved her arm again, and her backpack floated to her.

"You have been practicing."

Morrigan shrugged. "Still not as good as you."

Skulduggery stood a little straighter and touched his hat. "Of course not."

Morrigan laughed and started to walk towards the hotel. She turned, still walking backwards.

"Aren't you coming?"

"I'm going to see Ghastly."

She stopped. She looked at him then the hotel. People had started to come out. 

She looked back at Skulduggery.

_Dammit. I hate dilemmas._

Anton will understand, she thought. 

She turned back to Skulduggery and ran to catch up with him.

"You knew I would come with you."

"I knew you would make a choice."

Morrigan frowned at him as they got into his car. 

"Choice about what?"

He looked as her as he drove off.

"You're still wearing the ring."


	6. Chapter 6

As they pulled up to Ghastly's shop, Morrigan took the ring off and put it back in her pocket.

"I'll talk to Anton first, then everyone else."

Skulduggery just nodded and they got out of the car.

They walked into the shop and Morrigan saw that Valkyrie was getting fitted for new boots. Morrigan was glad she wasn't growing anymore. It meant that she didn't have to get new clothes once a year. At least.

She waved to Ghastly and Valkyrie.

"Hey, guys."

Ghastly smiled at her, but kept his concentration on what he was doing.

"Hey. How was Africa?"

Morrigan grinned. "Egypt, actually. It was awesome. I've always wanted to go there. The food is brilliant."

Valkyrie looked at her with a half smile. "It's always food with you."

"Of course. Food is amazing. We killed a Lamqoux too. Well, technically, Gracious, Donegan and Dai did. I just tried not to get bit."

Valkyrie laughed at her.

"Hey, it's extremely hard to try and fight when you're holding a baby, ok." Morrigan shrugged, but she was grinning. She was remembering when Dai was cutting out it's heart. She had really wanted to do that herself.

"What's a Lamqoux?" Valkyrie asked her.

Morrigan sat up on the table next to her. "Well, it's kind of a cross between a Goblin and a Vampire, I suppose. It lives in the water through the day because of the heat, then comes out at night. It wanders around looking for open windows or doors, and snatches small kids. Babies, toddlers. Takes them back to their den and eats them. Slowly." Morrigan shuddered. 

"Came face to face with one last night. Bigger than I thought, but still smaller than me. Black skin or scales, I couldn't tell. Deep, red eyes. Creepy when it's the middle of the night, that's for sure. Don't let one scratch you or bite you. They have some kind of paralysis poison, works in seconds. For some reason, they hate the smell of lamb's blood. People had started to smear it on their doors again."

"Like in that Bible story?"

Morrigan smiled at her. "Where do you think the story came from?"

"How do you kill one?"

Morrigan's smiled turned into a grin, as faced Valkyrie fully. "The only way to kill them, is to cut out their heart and burn both the body and the heart."

Valkyrie made a face and Morrigan laughed. "I wanted to do it, but I was holding the baby, so Dai got to do it instead."

Morrigan pouted.

Ghastly looked up at her. "You really need to deal with your issues. And your rage."

Morrigan shrugged. "I'm working on it. Hunting helps."

"You are happy to kill things."

"I enjoy hunting."

"You are literally at your happiest when you kill things and get to dismember them. Skulduggery, help me out here." Ghastly said as he stood up, with a bucket filled with stuff that looked like goo.

"She said that hunting helps her, and I believe it does."

Morrigan held her hand towards Skulduggery as she looked at Ghastly, and smiled.

"However..."

Morrigan closed her eyes and dropped her hand. "Oh Jesus, here we go."

"You do need to work yourself out. Hunting, killing and dismemberment is not going to work forever. The things from your past will catch up with you. You need to find a better outlet."

"Oh yea? Like what?"

"Like talking to someone about it."

Morrigan smirked. "Welp. This conversation got real uncomfortable, real quick." She jumped off the table. "Let's go see Anton now."

She looked at everyone when they didn't move.

"Or, I can fly there myself." She said it slowly and shrugged.

"You can't avoid it forever."

She turned to Ghastly. "You know, your the second person to say that to me in the last twenty four hours."

She heard Skulduggery sigh. "Come on."

Valkyrie jumped off the table, and they started to walk out of the shop. Ghastly took Morrigan's arm.

"Can I talk to you for a second?"

Morrigan looked to Skulduggery and Valkyrie. "I'll be out in a minute.

\----------------

After they left, Morrigan looked to Ghastly.

"What's wrong?"

Ghastly had started to potter around, not looking at her.

"Ghastly?"

He sighed. "I'm concerned about you."

Morrigan let out a breath, and felt her heart slowing down.

"Oh. Is that all."

She jumped when he thumped something on the table. Hard.

"Dammit, that's not all. All this running around killing things, dismemberment. The hunting isn't what bothers me, it's the fact you actually enjoy it."

Morrigan hesitated. "Well, yea. Of course I do."

Ghastly turned to face her. "You don't see your eyes when you talk about it. You didn't see your eyes when you spoke about the Lamqoux. When you spoke about how to kill it."

Morrigan was getting uncomfortable with the conversation. She shifted her feet and looked down.

"I can't really say I'm sorry about it, because I'm not."

She heard him sigh heavily.

"You need to talk to someone about it."

Morrigan looked up. "Like who? Skulduggery saw most of what happened in my life today, before we came here. I was watching memories in a fire and didn't realize he was there." She added when Ghastly frowned at her. "I told Fletcher about something that happened a year ago. Dai knows something else. Isn't that talking enough?"

"No, Morrigan, it's not. You need to talk to someone you trust one hundred percent. Tell them everything. Details, names. Hell, give them the dates, if it makes you feel better."

Morrigan was quiet for a moment. She didn't know who she trusted that much. She loved all her friends, of course she did, but trust was hard to come by. She looked at Ghastly. She felt sad suddenly, realizing that she didn't really have anyone that she fully trusted.

"You were my first real friend, Ghastly." She let out a shaking sigh. "I guess if I ever trusted anyone, it would be you."

Ghastly smiled. He came to her and knelt in front of her, placing his giant hands on her shoulders. "I've always been your friend, Morrigan. Even when you didn't know it. Even when you were a kid."

Morrigan blinked at him. "You knew me when I was a kid?"

He closed his eyes, nodded once and opened his eyes again.

"I recognized you almost immediately, when you first walked in here. I'm sure Skulduggery did as well, which is probably why he didn't shoot you."

Morrigan gave him a half grin. "Yea I guess."

He looked her right in the eyes. "If there's anything you want to tell me..." 

He trailed off, but she knew he meant.

She shifted her eyes. She thought about it for a few seconds. She looked back at him. "Maybe it'll be easier to just show you." She reached her hand out to touch his face, but he caught her wrist.

"No. You need to tell me. This isn't meant to be easy, Morrigan. It's meant to be hard. That's the point. That's where the healing comes from."

Morrigan felt tears in her eyes. She tried to shake them away, but they refused to budge. She hated feeling like this all the time. She always felt alone, depressed, anxious. She couldn't get away from the negative feelings. The only time she felt ok was when she was hunting.

She shook her head harder. She wanted to get rid of the memories as well as the tears.

Then all at once, she was sobbing and shaking. She almost didn't feel Ghastly hug her. They sat there like that for what felt to Morrigan like hours.

Once Morrigan had burnt herself out, she pulled away. 

She couldn't bring herself to look at Ghastly directly.

She took a deep breath, then started to speak with a broken voice.

"My story is too long to tell, and I don't know if I could ever tell anyone exactly what happened to me. What Skulduggery saw...that was only some of it. I was alone for so long. I had to...I had to do...something to eat or...I'd starve. Old habits are hard to break. I feel numb from it all, like I'm not a person."

Morrigan took a shaky breath and stepped back. She wiped her eyes as best she could.

"I better go before they get mad."

Ghastly stood up nodded, walking her to the door. He caught her arm as she went to walk out the door.

"Next time you come around, we'll start talking."

He didn't phrase it like a question, so Morrigan knew she had no choice in the matter. In a way, she was glad she had no choice. She found herself happy that she had let out what she did.

Morrigan smiled, nodded and turned to trot to the car.


	7. Chapter 7

"About time."

Morrigan closed the car door as Valkyrie spoke.

"Sorry."

"What did Ghastly want?"

Morrigan looked out the window as the car moved.

"Just...wanted to talk to me about something." She knew her voice still sounded raspy, but she couldn't do much about that.

"Talk about what?"

Morrigan looked at the back of Valkyrie's head. Sometimes that girl irritated her.

"The birds and the bees." She replied in a sarcastic tone.

"This is going to a long ride." She heard Skulduggery mutter.

Valkyrie turned to face her.

"I'm just curious. You were in there for ages. And why do you look like you've been crying? Your eyes are all puffy."

Morrigan saw Skulduggery turn slightly, then look back at the road.

"Look, I don't need an interrogation right now, ok?"

"Just tell me what Ghastly said, and I'll drop it."

Morrigan looked directly into Valkyrie's eyes. 

She could feel herself getting mad. 

She shouldn't have to explain herself to anyone, including her.

She felt her eyes burn at first. Then, slowly, everything else started to feel like it was on fire. 

The heat.

Morrigan wound down the window, made herself invisible and climbed out onto the roof of the car.

She knew Skulduggery would hate her for that, but she couldn't feel much of anything let alone guilt.

She heard them both yelling for her to get back in the car, and she felt the car slow down.

There was nothing around, as they were out of town.

Morrigan launched herself from the roof to the road in front of the car. She landed and rolled a few times. She felt the impact, but she felt no pain. Not physical pain anyway.

Her mind was in turmoil. She was sad, depressed, anxious, but also angry. So very angry.

She stopped rolling and she heard the car brake. 

She lifted herself up. She felt stiff.

Now that she was outside, in the cool air, breeze on her face, she was starting to calm down. Rapidly.

She became visible as she blinked and she remembered what she did. She just jumped from a moving car. From the roof, of a moving car.

Morrigan was on her knees, head down, when Skulduggery and Valkyrie got to her.

"What the hell did you do that for?" Morrigan barely heard Valkyrie speak.

It took both of them to lift her to her feet. 

She still had her head down. 

Her mind was slowly starting to clear, and she saw Valkyrie waving a hand in front of her eyes.

Morrigan blinked a couple of times.

"What are doing?" She asked swatting her hand away. "Aren't we at Anton's yet?"

Skulduggery and Valkyrie looked at each other. Morrigan didn't like the look on Valkyrie's face.

She frowned. "What?"

Skulduggery looked at her. "You just jumped from the car."

Morrigan closed her mouth. 

She remembered. She also remembered why she had wanted to.

"I know." She said slowly. Her voice sounded dead. "I guess you were right. I do need to sort out a few things."

Nobody said anything for a few minutes.

"Let's just get to Anton's." Skulduggery said, and walked back to the car.

Valkyrie looked at Morrigan.

"I think you've annoyed him."

Morrigan watched Skulduggery get into the car. 

She felt bad now.

"I always annoy him."


	8. Chapter 8

They pulled up next to the clearing where the hotel was. Morrigan stayed where she was, looking out the window at it.

It had been the second most quiet car ride since she met Valkyrie and Skulduggery, and Morrigan didn't like it. Both of them were usually talkative. 

Morrigan preferred them that way.

She moved her eyes to them.

"I'm sorry. I'm going to try and fix myself so something like that doesn't happen again."

Before either of them could reply, she grabbed her bag and got out of the car. She didn't expect them to follow her, but she felt someone grab her arm. She turned to see Valkyrie.

"I'm sorry for pushing it. Well, I'm not sorry, but you know what I mean. We're friends and friends tell each other things. You need to start talking."

Morrigan gave her a half smile. "I'll start talking. Just not right now. I need to learn to trust first. Trust is not something that comes easy." 

She nodded her head over to the car. "You better go before you get into trouble for taking to long."

"Hmm. Just know I'm here. We're all here. We're all friends."

Morrigan grinned. "We're all mad here."

Valkyrie grinned back. "Exactly." She turned and trotted back the car.

Morrigan watched the car disappear, then walked through the clearing to the hotel.

The sun was already starting to set, so she stopped to watch it. 

Morrigan remembered when there was a time when she was afraid of the night. She would run and hide. Even go to strangers houses for the night to escape it.

That was before Xylia had killed Sebastian. That was before Morrigan had met Skulduggery, Valkyrie, Anton and the others. That was before she found out who she was.

Morrigan hadn't killed a vampire since Sebastian. Molloch had taught her all about vampire laws. Sure, she wasn't a vampire, but Molloch had made it clear that she wasn't to kill any of them. He also had made it clear, however, that if she ever had the chance to kill Sebastian and his pack, he would not intervene.

Morrigan was glad of that, and had thought occasionally of going off to find Molloch and telling him what she had accomplished.

He would be impressed, she thought.

Morrigan blinked and turned slightly as she heard footsteps.

"Evening."

"I thought you would have been here earlier."

Morrigan looked up at the sky. "Sorry. Skulduggery took me to see Ghastly. I haven't seen him for ages."

"It's alright."

Morrigan turned to look at Anton. He was smiling.

"What?"

He started to move, but stopped. He looked up sharply.

Morrigan instantly put up her shield, protecting the hotel. The shield was on the top step of the veranda and went over the whole hotel.

Morrigan looked over the clearing, and frowned.

"What is that?"

There was an extremely tall figure standing in between two trees. Morrigan had a flashback of Sebastian standing in the exact same spot almost a year and a half ago.

No, she thought to herself, Sebastian is dead.

Suddenly the figure moved. All Morrigan did was blink and the figure was half way across the clearing.

She gasped and stepped back.

The figure stopped just out of the light of the hotel. The dark shape was huge.

Morrigan slowly took off her backpack and dropped it beside her.

The figure seemed to be watching them.

No, not **them**.

 **Her**.

Why is it watching me?

_I don't know, but it's not good._

The figure stepped into the light and grinned at Morrigan.

Morrigan felt like her heart had stopped. She stared at the man. 

He looked almost exactly like Sebastian!

She heard howls in the distance. A growl to her right made her tense. She looked over and saw Anton had heard it all too.

_Definitely not good._

So not good.

Morrigan looked back at the man.

"You look exactly like he described."

Morrigan frowned at the man. Now she was creeped out.

"What are talking about?"

The man continued to grin at her for another minute. He sighed and dropped his head.

When he looked up again, he was looking at her with pity.

Who is this guy?

"Of course he wouldn't say anything to you about me. I'm kind of the freak of the family. He spoke highly of you though."

Morrigan didn't say anything. She had a theory on who he was just because of his looks alone, but she couldn't be sure. She didn't want to be right. 

Not about this.

"Do you know who I am yet, girl?"

Morrigan hesitated, then shook her head.

"He would have wanted me to have you." The man continued. "I heard about what happened. About what you did to him."

He took a step forward.

"I'm not mad." He stepped onto the bottom step.

"In fact, I'm glad. Proud, even." He walked slowly up two more steps.

"I mean, I'm going to need you to be strong."

He stepped up one more step until he was one step below her.

"Especially when you're going to be a Queen."

Morrigan stared at him for a second. A grin spread against her face, and she started to laugh.

She stopped suddenly, and looked at him. Dead in the eye.

"You made the biggest mistake coming here, whoever you are."

The man smiled politely. "I'm sorry. My name is Dimitrie. Sebastian's half brother." He bowed slightly.

Morrigan didn't flinch. She thought she would be she didn't.

"I don't care who you are. You made the mistake of thinking you know who I am. You made the mistake of thinking I am alone. You made the mistake of thinking I would comply. I don't belong to anyone."

Morrigan thumped her right hand on the shield, flickered her eyes from her hand to Dimitrie.

He looked at her hand. He saw her ring.

"You see him?" Morrigan jerked her head towards Anton. Dimitrie glanced at him and then back to her.

"That's Anton Shudder, that is."

Dimitrie's eyes widened slightly. Morrigan grinned.

"I see you've heard of him." Morrigan was enjoying his discomfort.

"Well..." She shrugged slightly. "He also happens to be my fiance."

Dimitrie's eyes narrowed at her. Morrigan just smirked at him.

"If I belonged to anyone, it would be him."

Dimitrie bared his teeth at her.

"You will be mine."

Morrigan dropped her grin and stared straight into Dimitrie's eyes. 

She leaned forward, her forehead almost touching the shield.

"I think you've out-welcomed your stay."

She placed her other hand firmly on the shield.

"Don't come back. Ever."

Morrigan felt something like an electric shock go through her body, up her arms and out her hands into the shield.

The energy launched Dimitrie so hard and fast into the air, he disappeared from sight.

Morrigan heard the howls and growls again, but they followed in the direction Dimitrie went.

Morrigan stumbled and Anton caught her. She shook her head.

"That took more out of me than I thought."

He helped her stand and looked around.

"Don't worry. That wack job won't be back for a while. If he's any kind of smart that is. I'll be keeping that shield up, though. I'll make it so only the people here can come in and out."

Morrigan shook her head again and placed her hand on her temple.

"Ouch. Headache."

"Come inside. I'll get you some panadol."

Morrigan looked up at him, but because of her headache, she could barely see him.

"Yea, alright. I'll fix the shield tomorrow."

He picked up her bag and helped her inside.

Anton sat her down on a chair in the office and went to the cupboard to get some panadol.

He handed it to her as well as a glass of water.

"So, you made your decision then?"

Morrigan looked up at him as she swallowed the water. She smiled.

"Yea. Sorry you had to find out that way. Did you see his face though?" Morrigan laughed. "It was amazing. If that guy comes back, he's stupid."

Anton was smiling at her. "I'm just happy you made that decision."

Morrigan stood up put the glass on the desk and went over to him.

"I always wanted to make that decision, but..."

"But?"

She looked up at him. "I'm not giving up the Monster Hunters. That's just a line I'm not going to cross. And...I need to work on a few issues I have. I.." She looked away. "I have a lot of issues."

She felt his hand on her shoulder, and the other on her cheek.

"We'll work through the issues. Whatever they are. And I never expected you to leave the Monster Hunters."

Morrigan looked up at him and smiled. "Oh, good." She hugged him. She always felt so tiny compared to everyone else, but at the same time, she was grateful. She liked how small she felt when someone hugged her. Especially Anton.

"I think I need to go to bed."

Morrigan headed upstairs to the room she always used. She should have hated that room considering what had happened there, but she didn't. She had become numb towards some of her memories.


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning, Morrigan got up early to fix the shield. She didn't have to get up early, but she couldn't sleep.

Morrigan made herself a coffee and went outside. It wouldn't take long to fix the shield to how she wanted it.

When she was done, she just sat out on the veranda with her coffee and watched the sun come up. It was cold but she didn't mind.

Dimitrie hadn't come back in the night, and Morrigan hadn't seen or sensed him when she come out. She figured he had done what she thought he would have done and left to rethink things.

She grinned when she remembered his reaction to her the night before. 

Clearly, Sebastian hadn't told him how strong willed she could be, or how annoying.

And Sebastian had, had no idea how murderous she was, especially towards him. 

Well, he didn't know until just before he died.

_You want to kill something now, don't you?_

"Oh, yea." Morrigan grinned.

She heard footsteps and turned, expecting Anton.

An elderly lady that Morrigan liked, walked out of the hotel, and stopped when she saw Morrigan.

"Morning, Ms Tweedy."

Ms Tweedy smiled at her. She motioned to the shield.

"How come you have this up? It's safe, isn't it?"

Morrigan nodded. "It should be. Just had a drop kick turn up last night making demands, that's all. The shield is just a precaution."

"Is it safe to leave?"

"Yea. I've made it so then people who are signed in can come and go when they need too. Perfectly safe to walk through."

"I've just signed out. My holiday is over and time to go home." Ms Tweedy looked at the shield, then at Morrigan. "Do you think you could you take me home? I don't really want to run into this 'drop kick', if he's still around."

Morrigan looked at her coffee cup, thinking. She had nearly finished it anyway.

"Sure." Morrigan stood up and placed the cup on a table next to the door. "Let's go."

As they walked across the clearing, Morrigan turned to look towards the hotel. She didn't see anymore movement.

Good, she thought.

\----------------------

As they got to the bus stop that was on the first road parallel to where the clearing was, the bus come along.

Morrigan looked at Ms Tweedy. "Good timing."

"I like being early. Makes things easier. Are you coming from here?"

Morrigan thought for a minute.

"Where do you live?"

"Roarhaven."

"Roarhaven?" Morrigan had heard of the place, but had never been. It was supposedly a town full of just sorcerers.

The bus pulled up and Ms Tweedy started to board.

Morrigan shrugged. "Sure, why not."

For some reason, the bus driver didn't ask them for a ticket. Morrigan shrugged again and went to sit beside Ms Tweedy.

"Is it true what people say about Roarhaven?"

Ms Tweedy looked at her and smiled. "That we're all sorcerers? Yes, dear."

Morrigan tapped her chin. "That's interesting. So, people openly practice magic there?"

Ms Tweedy laughed. "No. Not openly, but it's there. What are you thinking?"

Morrigan looked at Ms Tweedy. "I'm a pane of glass, huh? Well, I still need to practice, but the people who normally help me out are...have been busy. I was just thinking maybe someone from Roarhaven might help?"

Ms Tweedy laughed again. "I doubt it, dear. It's not the friendliest town."

She saw Morrigan's face drop. "But...There might be someone willing to help out. I can try and find someone if you like."

Morrigan looked at her and smiled. "Thank-you. I'll explore a little while I'm there. You never know, I might find someone myself."

\---------------------------

Once the bus dropped them off and Morrigan had walked Ms Tweedy home, Morrigan started to wander around.

It was only nine in the morning, so Anton probably thought she was still asleep.

Morrigan wandered around, looking at all the dark buildings. You couldn't really tell what was what. She saw the dark lake. She didn't go near it.

She heard shouts from an alleyway, and went to investigate.

As she got to the mouth of the alley, she turned herself invisible, and poked her head around the corner.

There were three men having a heated argument. From what Morrigan could make out, one of the men was starting problems inside a pub and got kicked out.

Morrigan watched until two of the men went back inside. The remaining man hurled abuse at the closed door.

Definitely not friendly, she thought to herself.

She walked quickly past the man and tried the door. It was locked.

Morrigan turned and saw that the man was standing a few steps away from her. Staring at the spot where she stood.

She frowned. There's no way he could see her.

_Sorcerer town, remember._

Ah, can feel me, but can't see me.

The man took one step forward. Morrigan stepped to the side and around until she was behind him.

He turned slowly. He staggered slightly.

_Drunk sorcerer._

Morrigan laughed. Man jumped and spun around.

"Where are you?"

Morrigan grinned. She was going to have fun with this.

She felt a small ball of flames in her hand. She looked it and tossed it towards a dumpster a few metres away. It hit the side and the man stumbled in that direction.

Morrigan shook her head and grinned.

This is going to be too easy.

She put her fists together in front of her. She dragged her left fist up and her right fist down.

A bow made of air appeared in her hands. Morrigan smiled at the bow. She had always wondered if she would be any good as an archer.

Morrigan squatted down and placed her hand on the ground. A handful of arrows shifted out of the ground beside her.

She kept smiling and looked up at the man. He was studying the dumpster.

_He really is drunk._

Morrigan smirked and stood up. She placed an arrow in the bow and aimed.

"Oi, Drunky McStagger." The man spun around.

Morrigan made herself visible. She narrowed her eyes and smirked.

"You'd better run."

The man's eyes widened as he turned and tried to run down the alley.

Morrigan let the arrow fly. She watched as it flew through the air and missed the man's head by inches.

The man cried out and Morrigan couldn't help but laugh.

She picked up the rest of the arrows and placed most of them in her back pocket before setting a new one in the bow.

She took a few more steps forward and aimed.

The man was close to the end of the alleyway now.

Morrigan breathed and focused. She let the arrow fly. There was a few seconds where it seemed like time had slowed down.

The arrow caught the man in the shoulder. He yelled loudly as he hit the wall.

Grinning, Morrigan walked up to him. He was crumpled on the ground, holding his shoulder and cursing her. She looked around lazily. No one was around, and there was no security cameras.

The man looked up at her. He was bleeding and sweating, and his eyes had fear and anger in them.

"What are you doing? Who are you?"

Morrigan looked down at him.

Pathetic.

"I'm no one to be concerned about. At least, not anymore."

Morrigan lifted the bow and aimed another arrow at the man's head.

"Wait! Please, I can help you!"

Morrigan laughed. "Right. Help me. Sure." Her smile vanished. "No one can help me." She pulled the string back. "I'd just like you to know, I'm not sorry."

"Yes, you are."

Morrigan blinked. "What?"

The man groaned and started started to stand, still holding his shoulder.

"You don't want to do this. Not really."

This time Morrigan frowned. "And how would you know?"

He stood up fully and leaned painfully against the brick wall.

"Because, you would have shot me from back there. Nice aim by the way."

Morrigan's frown didn't leave her face. She lowered her bow.

"Thanks. Now, can you get this arrow out of my shoulder?"

She moved cautiously over to him. She shouldered her bow slowly, and placed the arrow in her back pocket.

She took hold of the arrow and hesitated.

The man looked at her. "Just do it."

Morrigan tightened her grip and pulled. It came out easier than she expected. The man had screamed though.

She looked at the pub door. Nobody came out.

Morrigan turned back to the man.

"Nobody's coming out for me. Come on, help me back to the motel I'm staying."

Morrigan was so confused by this man. She had literally just tried to kill him and he was being nice to her.

_What the hell?_

I have no idea.


	10. Chapter 10

The motel this man spoke of was three blocks away. As with the rest of the town, the building was dark.

The man unlocked the door and Morrigan helped him inside.

He sat down heavily on the bed and Morrigan closed the door behind them

They hadn't passed anyone on the way to the motel, so they didn't have to explain the man bleeding in his shoulder.

The man grabbed a bottle of whiskey and took a huge mouthful.

He looked at her. "You know how to stitch up a wound?"

Morrigan hesitated. "Yes."

"Good. There's a first aid kit over there on the table." He waved the bottle in the direction of the table.

As she went to get the kit, the man took his jacket and shirt off. She turned just in time to see him pour a bit of whiskey on the wound and moan in pain.

Morrigan flinched. She was starting to feel bad about it now.

She went and found a clean cloth, and drenched it in warm water. She walked over with the cloth and the kit. She started to clean the wound in silence.

"I know."

Morrigan glanced at the man. "Know what?"

"You're sorry. I know."

Morrigan stopped what she was doing and looked at him fully.

"Yea, and how exactly do you know that?"

They studied each other for a moment. Morrigan sighed and finished cleaning the wound. She found a needle and thread in the first aid box and started to sew the man up.

"You don't look the type."

Morrigan's hand stopped. "What?"

"You don't look like the type to kill someone."

Morrigan laughed, and continued to thread the needle.

"You would be wrong, Mr..?"

"Oh yea? Then why didn't you shoot me?"

"Why won't you tell me your name?"

The man turned his head to watch her. "John Smith."

Morrigan turned her head to him. "Liar."

The man looked at her for another few seconds. "How do you know I'm lying?"

Morrigan finished sewing and tied it off. The she sat on the floor in front of him.

"Didn't call for help, didn't go to hospital, staying in cheap motel." She counted the things on her fingers. "I know a thing or two about staying low, Mr 'Smith'."

The man with the fake name reached over to a duffel bag and pulled out a clean shirt. Morrigan rolled her eyes and helped him put it on.

"So, are you going to tell me your real name?"

"Are you going to shoot me again?"

Morrigan stepped back, put her hands on her hips and smirked at him. "I might if you don't tell me."

The man looked at her for a minute and then a grin spread across his face. He gave out a short laugh.

"What? I can't be that funny."

The man handed her the whiskey bottle. She took it and took a sip. It was strong, but she was able to handle it.

"You remind me of my son."

Morrigan took another sip and sat down on the floor again. "Ah. That's why you won't tell me your name?"

The man held his hand out for the bottle. Morrigan reluctantly gave it back. He took another long sip.

"John Winchester. And you?"

Morrigan reached for the bottle. "Morrigan McCord." She looked over the bottle as she took a sip. "Your accent...You're not from here, are you?"

"That's a long story." He took the bottle again and sipped it. 

He studied her again. "Drunky McStagger? That's the best you come up with?"

Morrigan felt herself blush. The whiskey was also taking effect and making her feel warm. She took her jacket off and placed it beside her.

"Well, not like I got around doing this kind of thing all the time."

"Why did you try to kill me anyway?"

Morrigan looked down.

_He's no sorcerer._

What? What is he?

_Mortal._

Morrigan looked up sharply. "What made you come to this town, John Winchester?"

John looked at her. "Hunting."

Morrigan frowned, then leaned forward looking into his eyes. He wasn't lying. 

A grin slowly spread across her face.

"Well, isn't that a coincidence?"

It was John's turn to frown at her. "What is?"

"I'm a hunter too." She laughed. "Except I'm not in town to hunt. I was just dropping a friend off at her house. What are you hunting?"

"Bear."

Morrigan laughed. She knew that's not what he was hunting. "What are you really hunting, Mr Winchester?"

He stayed silent. Morrigan sighed.

"Mr Winchester, you literally saw me appear out of nowhere and shoot you with an arrow made of earth. You're in a town that you would have figured by now is filled with sorcerers. So." She looked him in the eyes. "What are you really hunting? Maybe I could help."

John took a long sip from the bottle and passed it back to her. She went to take it, but he kept a grip on it.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." He let go.

Morrigan laughed. "If you knew my life story, you wouldn't say that to me."

She went to take a sip from the bottle, when her phone started to ring. She put the bottle down and looked at the phone.

Shit.

"Shit. It's Anton." She looked up at John. "My fiance. He'll be wondering where I am. I kind of left without telling him."

She pressed her finger to her lips as she answered the phone.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Where are you?" He sounded worried and annoyed. Not good.

"Oh, I just took Ms Tweedy home. She was worried after I told her about Dimitrie last night. She didn't want to run into him."

"When will you be back?"

Morrigan looked at John Winchester.

"I'll still be a little while. I didn't know she lived in Roarhaven. I want to look around."

Anton was silent for a minute.

"You'll be back before dark?"

Morrigan smiled. "Of course. I'll fly. It'll be fine."

"Alright. If you're not back by six, I'm calling Skulduggery."

"Hey, no need for threats. I shouldn't be that long." She looked at John again, and sighed.

"What is it?"

"Is there any rooms still available?"

"The one Ms Tweedy vacated. Why?"

Morrigan saw John frown and shake his head. She gritted her teeth at him and nodded. She wanted him where she could keep an eye on him.

"I met someone who needs somewhere to stay."

"Do they?" He sounded skeptical.

"Yes. I think staying at the Midnight Hotel would be good for him. He doesn't have to hide." She widened her eyes at John. She was saying all this more so to him than Anton.

She heard Anton sigh. "Be here by three."

"Four."

"Fine. Four. Make sure you're here." He was quiet again. "Be careful."

Morrigan smiled. "I'm always careful."

"See you later." And he hung up.

Morrigan put her phone back in her pocket and clapped her hands. 

"So, John Winchester. You have somewhere to stay that you have no need to hide your identity. I suggest you start packing your stuff and check out of here."

John watched her. 

Morrigan rolled her eyes. "You can trust me ok? I'm not going to try and kill you. Well, not again." 

She checked the time. It was only midday.

"Lunchtime. You hungry?"

John was shaking his head at her. "You're not going to take no for an answer, are you?"

Morrigan grinned. "I'm glad we understand each other."

"You really do remind me of my sons."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Don't. It's irritating."

Morrigan rolled her eyes again and picked up her jacket.

"Come on, John Winchester. You can tell me all about this thing you're hunting while we eat."

John stood up and started to pack his bag.

"You want to know why I'm agreeing to this?"

Morrigan leaned against the wall, waiting for him. "Because I'm giving you no choice?"

"Because there was Holy water in the whiskey."

Morrigan frowned. "Holy water? What did you think I was?"

John turned, duffel bag over his good shoulder.

"Let's go. I think I need a burger."

Morrigan grinned and shrugged. "Same. Then we'll head to Anton's before he makes good on his threat."

They walked out the door and towards the motel office.

"What threat?"

Morrigan shrugged again. "I'll start sharing when you do."

She heard John grumble.

"You could be related."


	11. Chapter 11

Morrigan sat across from John at a small cafe, studying him as they ate. 

He was reluctant to trust her, but he knew he could. She knew this because she had the same feeling towards him. He was trustworthy, but in her experience, trust got you locked in a room and made into a portable blood bag.

"Food was a good idea."

Morrigan bit into her burger. "Food is always a good idea. So, hunting. What's there to hunt around here? I mean, there's vampires, but I stay well away from them."

"You scared of them or something?"

Morrigan put her burger down. "I have my reasons, but it's a long story. I hope it's not vampires your hunting, because if it is, I can't help you."

John looked at her and shook his head.

"I was over here because I got a lead on something. It turned out I was wrong. Then I got wind of something else." He finished his burger.

Morrigan took a couple more bites, then pushed her food away. She felt tense and when she was tense, she couldn't eat.

"What was that something else?"

John clasped his hands together and leaned on his elbows on the table.

"Wendigo."

Morrigan frowned and scoffed. "Wendigo? No way. There's no way there's any here. It's too cold."

"That's what I thought too, but people have been going missing. Mostly homeless or runaways, but there's a pattern."

Morrigan frowned and leaned forward. "When did this start happening, and where?"

John didn't speak until a man passed them. The man nodded to Morrigan, but glared at John. Morrigan stared the man down until he moved on.

"About a month ago. Around Dublin. I figure because it's a city and nobody really takes notice of the homeless."

Morrigan tapped her chin. "I haven't heard anything. I'll give Skulduggery a call and see if he knows anything about it."

"Skulduggery?"

"He's a detective. If anyone knows about anything like that going on, he does."

"I don't want authorities called."

Morrigan looked at him. "Relax. He's one of us. He's not a hunter, but he's as good as." She sighed. "Come on. If we're not at the hotel by four, Anton's going to chuck a hissy fit."

John put some money on the table.

"Sounds like a real top guy."

"He is. Just because of what happened last night."

John stood and grabbed his bag. "What happened last night?"

"Hey!"

They turned to see the man that walked passed them, storming up to them. He grabbed the money and tossed it back at John.

"We don't serve you people here."

Morrigan frowned at the man. She bent and picked up the money. John glared at the man, but said nothing.

Morrigan held her hand out with the money. The man looked at her.

"You serve my kind, though, right?"

The man went to protest, but Morrigan held out her other hand and flames erupted in her palm. She smiled politely.

"I suggest you take the money."

The man looked from John to Morrigan. He snatched the money, turned and walked away. "Don't let me see either of you back here."

"No loss there." Morrigan muttered as they walked out the door.

\---------------------------

They got to the bus stop and Morrigan looked at the times.

"Dammit."

"What?"

"The bus won't get here until three thirty. It's a forty minute ride." 

Morrigan sat on the bench to think.

Suddenly she slapped her forehead.

"Morrigan, you are such an idiot."

John looked at her. "Please tell me you have a car."

Morrigan shook her head as she pulled her phone out of her pocket. "No, I have something, or someone better."

"Someone? What are you talking about?"

Morrigan went to dial but stopped. "Have you ever heard of teleporters?"

John smirked. "No such thing as a teleporter."

Morrigan matched his smirk. "No such thing as monsters and magic either."

John didn't say anything. Morrigan pressed call.

"Fletcher? Hey, have you ever been to Roarhaven? Oh thank god. I need to get back to Anton's before four and the bus won't be here until three thirty. Yea, we're at the bus stop."

Fletcher appeared in front of her, hanging up the phone.

"We?"

John started. Fletcher saw him and jumped as well.

"Whoa."

"Yea. Whoa alright."

They regarded each other closely. Morrigan stood up.

"Fletcher meet John. John meet Fletcher. Teleporter, Hunter."

Fletcher looked at her. "He's a hunter?"

"And you're a teleporter. Teleport, please and thank-you."

Fletcher rolled his eyes and held out his arm.

Morrigan motioned for John to grab his arm.

"Oh, and just so your aware, you're going to throw up when we get there."

John frowned as he took Fletcher's arm.

\------------------

They appeared in the clearing. 

Fletcher just managed to move before John started throwing up where he had been standing.

He finished throwing up and wiped his face. Morrigan helped him stand.

"Don't worry. You get used to it eventually, and then you'll stop doing that."

"I don't think I want to get used to that."

Morrigan laughed and they started towards the hotel.

"So what happened last night?"

Morrigan flinched. She wished John didn't say anything with Fletcher still here.

"Wait, something happened last night? What happened?"

Morrigan turned and looked at them both, and realized she couldn't lie.

She sighed. Dammit.

She stopped walking and pointed to the two trees.

"Someone was here last night. He stood there." She turned and stepped up onto the veranda. "Me and Anton were here. He saw the guy first." 

She placed her hand on the shield so John and Fletcher could step through. She looked at John. "I'll tell you about this later. It was dark, but I swear this guy was massive. Seven feet tall at least. He was over there, then he was there." 

She pointed to the place Dimitrie had stood the night before. "All I did was blink, and he was there."

Morrigan turned to John.

"Ever heard of anything like that?"

John stared at the place Morrigan had been pointing. He sighed and glanced at her.

"Yes, actually. Remember when I told you what I was hunting?"

Morrigan frowned. "But this guy didn't look like a Wendigo."

"Wendigo? Ireland is too cold for them, isn't it?"

Morrigan turned to Fletcher. "Apparently not."

"What did this thing look like?"

Morrigan glanced back at John and shrugged. "Just like a regular guy except abnormally tall. Do you need to be anywhere, Fletcher?"

Fletcher shook his head. "Not anymore. I'm staying here."

Morrigan nodded and headed inside. 

"Come on, John. We'll sign you in. Then we'll figure this out."


	12. Chapter 12

They sat down after Anton signed John in as a guest. 

Morrigan called Skulduggery as Fletcher called the rest of the Monster Hunters.

"They'll be about an hour or two."

"Can't you just go get them?"

"They told me to stay here."

"It will literally take you two seconds to get them."

Fletcher shrugged. "I'm not leaving."

Morrigan glared at Fletcher. He was a good friend, but God he was annoying sometimes.

She turned to John. "Skulduggery said he and Valkyrie will be here in about half an hour. He said that they weren't investigating the disappearances, but they're aware of them. Some have been mortal but some have been sorcerers too. You're sure it's a Wendigo?"

"Almost one hundred percent. I called Bobby Singer and asked him just to verify. He seems to think it's one too."

Morrigan frowned. "It doesn't make any sense. And who's Bobby Singer?"

"Just a friend. Another hunter. I told him what you said about this guy. Bobby said it sounds like this guy is a Wendigo who's evolved."

Morrigan shuddered. "I certainly hope not. They're already tough as it is. Don't need them being able to wander around in cities as well."

"Me too, but it's looking more and more likely."

"Where are your sons? Maybe they could help?"

John glanced at her. "They can't help. They're not here."

Morrigan frowned. "Where are they?"

"America."

Morrigan stared at him. "Oh." She narrowed her eyes. "How am I like them?"

John sighed. "We're on a job not playing the sharing game."

Morrigan kept staring at him. "We have time until the others get here. Starting talking. You're American, we've established that. You're a hunter. Great. Majorly helpful right now. What are you doing here in the first place? What lead went cold?"

John turned to her. "You're not going to drop it, are you?"

Morrigan grinned.

"No, she won't. She's annoying like that."

Morrigan turned on Fletcher. "Look who's talking."

John shook his head, but took his wallet out. He passed them a picture of his sons. 

"They're all grown up now. A bit older than you, I'd think."

Morrigan snorted but said nothing.

"That's Sam and Dean. They're both hunters. Sam quit, but..."

Morrigan looked at him, catching the tone. "But..?"

"His girlfriend was killed, so he's hunting again."

"Oh. Poor bastard."

"Yea. He's doing well, aside from that."

"What are they like?"

John smiled. He must have been thinking about it.

"Dean is an out right smart-ass. You're a lot like him actually, in that way. He likes what we do."

"Hunting. Yea, I enjoy it too."

"Sam wanted to go to college and become a lawyer. He was good at it too. Smart."

"A lawyer would be helpful. Especially a lawyer who's also a hunter."

John blinked at her.

Morrigan shrugged. "Well, it's true. Would make our job a lot easier."

John shook his head. "I wish I could argue with you there."

Morrigan gave him a half grin. She handed him back his photo.

"So, this thing that you were hunting before the Wendigo...?"

"It's not important right now."

"You put Holy water in the whisky. Holy water, John. It's almost as though you thought I was a..." 

Morrigan widened her eyes and looked sharply at John as the realisation hit her. 

"Seriously?"

John pulled out the bottle of whisky and handed it to her.

"You'll need this."

Morrigan took it slowly, narrowing her eyes.

John sighed. "It started a little over twenty years ago..."


	13. Chapter 13

By the time John had finished his story, the bottle of whisky had been emptied.

Morrigan felt horrible for him. 

She had told him a little bit about her time with the vampires, since they were in a sharing mood. He had then understood why she wouldn't go near vampires.

Fletcher had been almost completely silent, apart from the odd comment.

Anton came up to the table where they were sitting and took the empty bottle.

"No more of this. Either of you." He said, eyeing John. "Skulduggery and Valkyrie are here."

Morrigan nodded and stood up to let them inside the shield.

She stepped to the shield and placed her hand on it firmly. She felt really warm from all that whisky, but luckily she wasn't drunk. Skulduggery would had something to say about it if she was.

"You've been drinking."

Morrigan grinned and stepped back, stumbling slightly. "Oh, I definitely have been drinking. Just not as much I want too, if I'm honest."

Valkyrie crossed her arms at Morrigan. "Why?"

Morrigan looked toward where John was sitting. "Long story." She turned back to them and sighed. "Come on. I'll introduce you to John Winchester."

\-----------------------

"John."

John looked up as they walked over. He stood up slowly, leaning heavily on the arm of the chair.

Morrigan put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him back down.

"John, this is Skulduggery Pleasant and Valkyrie Cain. Detectives, this is John Winchester. He's a hunter."

John just nodded at them. Morrigan saw he was staring at Skulduggery.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to him." Morrigan shrugged. "It won't be that hard. Especially when he starts talking." She grinned. She liked teasing him.

Morrigan looked at John. "Will you be ok with these guys? I probably should go sober up."

John dragged his eyes away from Skulduggery. "Sure. I think so."

Morrigan clapped him on his bad shoulder.

"Ouch!" John growled at her.

Morrigan grinned. "You'll be fine."

She walked away as John and Fletcher told the detectives about what Morrigan had said about Dimitrie. Morrigan didn't want to talk about it, so she was hoping that Anton would answer any of the questions they had.

She found him in the office doing paperwork.

"Hey, if they ask anything about that Dimitrie guy, can you answer them? Not keen on talking about it. Honestly trying to wrap my head around it still. He sounds just as bad as Sebastian was." Morrigan shivered. 

If Dimitrie was anything like Sebastian, they were in trouble. Worse if he did turn out to be a Wendigo.

Morrigan frowned at the thought. "How is he related to Sebastian if he's a Wendigo?"

"What?"

Morrigan looked up at Anton, still frowning. "Dimitrie said he was Sebastian's half brother, right? That's what he said?"

"Yes." Anton frowned too. "Why?"

Morrigan crossed her arms and placed a hand on her chin. "John seems to think Dimitrie is a Wendigo. But. Sebastian was a vampire. How in Heaven and Hell could they be related?"

"Maybe they just called themselves brothers?"

Morrigan was skeptical. Dimitrie looked sincere. Plus, he had said he was the freak of the family.

Morrigan gasped and spun around. She bumped into the door frame but she ignored the pain in her shoulder, and ran back to the table where John was.

She slammed her hands on the table between Valkyrie and Fletcher. They jumped.

"What the hell?"

"I should drink on jobs more often."

John looked at her. "What did you find out?"

"Dimitrie said he was Sebastian's half brother, right?" Morrigan looked at Fletcher.

"I mean, I guess. I wasn't there, remember."

She ignored him. "Sebastian was a vampire." She looked at everyone, waiting for it to sink in. Nobody said anything.

Morrigan rolled her eyes and looked at John.

"You are sure Dimitrie is a Wendigo, right?"

John nodded. "What are you trying to tell us?"

Morrigan growled in frustration. She thumped the table. "How can I, who is basically drunk by the way, figure it out, but you lot can't even get the hints?" 

She glared at all of them, even Skulduggery. "You two are supposed to be detectives." 

She closed her eyes and let out her breath.

"Sorry. Uncalled for. Dimitrie said he was Sebastian's half brother, but John thinks that Dimitrie is a Wendigo. So. How the Hell can they be related?" Morrigan held up her arms in a shrug. "Unless..."

"They're not really related?"

Morrigan looked at Fletcher. "Don't be a dick. I'm trying to say this as slow as I can."

John widened his eyes. "Wendigo and vampire?"

Morrigan clicked her fingers at John and grinned. "There we go!"

"I don't think that's even possible."

"Well, he certainly didn't look like a generic Wendigo. Tall like one though. And fast. So fast."

"If that is the case, we're in big trouble."

"Better than an evolved Wendigo."

"This guy is pretty much an evolved Wendigo if he's what we think he is."

Morrigan shivered and sat down. She didn't know which she would have preferred.

"This whole thing is scary. If he's as bad as Sebastian...I may as well top myself now." Morrigan shook her head and grinned. "But then, I miss out on all the fun."

A phone beeped and Fletcher pointed to the shield. "They're here."

Morrigan got up and started to walk over, waving her arm as she did so. 

"Oh good. They'll just love this development."

\------------------------

Morrigan met Donegan, Gracious and Dai at the steps. She let them in.

"So much for seeing you in a few days."

"Yea, so what happened?"

"Wendigo."

The three guys turned at the door and stared at her.

"What?!"

Morrigan sighed and stepped past them. "Come on. I'm not repeating myself."

They got to the table and sat down.

Morrigan put her head down. She could feel eyes on her. She still didn't want to talk about it, but she didn't see how she could avoid it now.

"Seems this Wendigo is that Dimitrie guy from last night." 

She put up her hand. She knew someone was going to interrupt. She didn't want to be interrupted or she would lose her nerve.

"Dimitrie is apparently Sebastian's half brother. Sebastian is...was...a vampire. Dimitrie is a Wendigo. Or, half Wendigo, half vampire. He found me, and I didn't even know he existed." She sighed heavily and looked up. She felt so tired just from saying that. 

And that wasn't even the bit she was afraid of saying. 

"He apparently wants to claim me as some kind of prize. He said the same thing as Sebastian."

"As a queen, he said." Morrigan felt Anton's hand on her shoulder.

She closed her eyes painfully. She really didn't want to hear that ever again.

"Why would he want you? That makes no sense."

Morrigan looked at John and rubbed her cheeks with her palms. 

"Remember what I said about the vampires? Sebastian keeping me? Well, same guy. Dimitrie basically wants to take over where Sebastian left off. I am not keen for that to happen again. I've been happy for nearly a year and a half without worrying about Sebastian and vampires, and now this!"

Morrigan thumped her small fists on the table. 

She was shaking, mad and upset at the same time.

How could this keep happening to her?

"Gah!" Morrigan got up and walked quickly towards the door.

"Hey!"

"Where are you going?"

"Come back!"

Morrigan broke into a run when she hit the ground of the clearing. 

The more she felt her emotions, the harder her feet hit the ground.

She ran between those two trees. 

She blurred through the forest, not knowing or thinking about where she going. 

She nearly tripped over rocks a few times, but that didn't stop her.


	14. Chapter 14

Morrigan started to slow down as she got to the edge of a tree line. 

She heard rushing water. The air was almost still. It wasn't warm, but it wasn't cold either.

Morrigan walked slowly up to a rocky lookout. She stood a few steps away from the edge, looking around. She saw she was standing on the edge of a waterfall. 

The water was all rushing around underground. Underground river, which opened up just underneath where she was standing.

She looked out following the river with her eyes. Off in the distance, she recognized a stonewall. She shielded her eyes and squinted. It was the same wall where she had her first proper conversation with Skulduggery. 

She smiled slightly, but then it turned sad.

What am I doing?

_What do you mean?_

Why am I still here? Why am I allowing other people to get involved?

_You know they would help you anyway. We all would._

Hmm. I still think it would be better if they weren't involved at all.

_And how do you think that's going to work now that this Dimitrie knows where the hotel is?_

Morrigan sighed. "Perhaps he won't harass them if I'm not there anymore."

She closed her eyes and turned her face up to the sky.

She turned with her back to the vertical drop, and just listened to the sound of the rushing water. The sound filled her ears.

She lifted her arms straight out by her sides and took a few steps back. She stopped when she felt the wind whipping around her face.

She didn't know how she knew, but Morrigan felt someone was coming.

Better off without me, she chanted over and over again in her head. The chant drowned out all the other noise.

Morrigan's feet found the lip of the edge.

She allowed her feet to slip down a little, then pushed slightly with the ball of her feet.

She felt the wind rushing around her face, the sound of the water slamming into the rocks below.

She barely felt herself falling.

Morrigan opened her eyes and saw a figure coming down after her.

She frowned.

Who was stupid enough to jump off this cliff?

_Who exactly?_

Shut up. There's a reason for me doing it.

Morrigan closed her eyes again.

Maybe I'm imagining that person.

_I highly doubt that._

Why's that?

Morrigan felt someone grab her left arm and put it around their neck.

She snapped her eyes open and turned her head.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Seriously?"

They had said it in unison.

Morrigan felt Skulduggery's arm under her knees. She looked around and saw that they were about to hit the water.

She put out her arm and her shield surrounded them just as they hit the surface.

The shield ball slowly sunk to the bottom of the rushing river and Morrigan put her arm down.

"What do you think you are doing?"

She couldn't look at Skulduggery. She knew exactly what she was doing that time. 

She dropped her head, letting her hair fall over her face.

"I'm not going back. I'm not putting everyone in danger when he's only after me. It's just not fair. When I'm gone, he will leave you alone."

Morrigan felt him clip her in the ear with his hand.

"Ouch! What was that for?"

She looked up at him. He was still holding her, so she didn't even know how he managed to do it.

"For being an idiot."

She blinked.

"We will all help you deal with this Dimitrie guy."

_Nailed it._

Shut up, you.

"But..."

Skulduggery shook his head. "No buts."

Morrigan shook her head slightly and smiled, tears in her eyes.

Then she frowned.

"How did you get out of the shield?"

He shrugged. "I assumed you let me out."

She tilted her head. "Considering the situation, you know how stupid that sounds, right?"

He just looked at her. "We should get back."

Morrigan put both her arms around his neck and placed her head on his shoulder. "Hmm. I suppose."

They started to rise up out of the water.

Morrigan waited until they were over the edge before she took the shield down.

"We're on solid ground again."

"I know." Morrigan tightened her grip and grinned. "I'm comfy."

She heard him sigh, but he didn't drop her like she thought he would have.

He started walking back towards the hotel. The rhythm of Skulduggery's' steps lulled Morrigan to sleep.

_"Girl."_

_Morrigan looked around. It was dark._

_She couldn't see a thing._

_"Girl." She felt a breath on the back of her neck and spun around._

_"Where are you!"_

_Slowly, it started to get lighter. All Morrigan could see was a pale blue light._

_"I am here."_

_She saw a dark figure to the left of her and spun._

_It was gone again._

_"What do you want?!"_

_She heard evil laughter as a figure solidified out of smoke._

_"You know what I want."_

_Morrigan widened her eyes and shook her head._

_"That's NEVER happening."_

_The figure laughed and flashed her a grin._

_"It happened with Sebastian, so it'll happen again."_

_"Never!"_

_The figure stepped up to her._

_Morrigan tried to move, but she was held fast but an invisible force._

_Dimitrie stood in front of her and eyed her up and down._

_Morrigan bared her teeth and narrowed her eyes at him._

_He placed a finger on the base of her throat and slowly traced it down until it rested over her belly button._

_"It'll happen."_

_Morrigan glared at him._

_"It. Will. Never. Happen."_

_She strained against her invisible bonds. They started to weaken._

_She cried out as she pulled her arms away and ducked away from Dimitries' outstretched hands._

_She heard clapping and turned around._

_"Very good. You're stronger than I thought."_

_"Leave me alone. I'm nothing to you."_

_Dimitrie clicked his tongue and shook his head slowly._

_"That's just quite untrue, I'm afraid."_

_Morrigan closed her eyes and concentrated on getting herself out of this dream._

_"You'll never be able to hide."_

_**Wake up.** _

_"You'll never be able to run."_

_**Wake up.** _

_"I'll find you!"_

_**Morrigan! Wake up!** _

Morrigan snapped her eyes open and fell out of Skulduggery's arms.

She rushed to the closest tree and threw up.

When she was done, she leaned with her forehead against the tree, breathing hard.

"What happened?"

Morrigan placed a hand on the tree next to her head, thinking. She winced. Thinking hurt her head.

"Nothing. Bad dream. Just a bad dream."

She stood up straight and looked around. They were back at the clearing.

Morrigan looked towards the hotel and noticed that John and Anton were rushing over to them.

Nobody else could get through the shield.

_You had better come up with a good excuse for that little stunt._

Morrigan grunted and shoved her hands into her pockets.

"What were you thinking?!" Anton grabbed her and hugged her. She felt tears in her eyes, but she didn't let them out.

"Is she always like this?" She heard John ask.

"Almost always." Came the reply from Skulduggery.

She pulled away from Anton and narrowed her eyes at them.

"I'm still here, you know."

"Yes, and you need to explain. Right now."

_Nailed it. Again._

NOT helping.

Morrigan sighed and gestured inside. They started to walk back to the hotel.

"You already know most of it."

"Most of it?"

"Turns out, Dimitrie is hell bent on retrieving me." She spat the words out like she was spitting out dirt.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to start a fucking war."

"Well, that's just peachy." Valkyrie commented as they got to the shield.

"We always end up with the worst situations."

"Always. Doesn't mean it calls for you to start swearing."

Morrigan glared at Skulduggery.

_Shut the fuck up._


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter and the chapters from here on out are going to get darker, so please be mindful of the tags and trigger warnings!
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> ^_^

Morrigan walked inside and straight over to the alcohol cabinet.  
"I thought I said-"  
Morrigan opened a bottle of whisky, poured it in a glass and swallowed it. "No offense, but right now, I couldn't give a damn what anyone says." Her voice sounded strained and defeated.  
She poured another, larger, glass and swallowed that too. Poured another.  
"Morrigan..."  
She put the empty glass down with a dull thud. "Look, there's things nobody knows about. I would prefer not to say anything at all, but..." She grasped the bottle. "I don't know if this guy is just going to say it anyway, or..."   
Morrigan shuddered. She really didn't want to tell them. But, did she really have a choice? Xylia seemed awfully quiet too.  
"What if..."  
Nobody spoke. She could tell they were waiting for her to continue.  
"What if...Something so bad had happened, that just the thought of going back to that situation made you want to die?"  
She felt the air around her tense up. Perhaps it was herself, but she was fairly certain it was everyone else.  
"What if something so bad had happened, that to go back meant giving up your humanity. Your life. Your soul."  
Morrigan kept a firm grip on the bottle and slowly shoved it back into the cupboard.  
"What does this Dimitrie guy want from you anyway?"  
Morrigan hesitated at John's question, then brought the whisky bottle back down from it's place. She grabbed two glasses and walked over to where he and the others were now sitting. "Here. You're going to need this."  
"I don't think-"  
Morrigan sat down heavily and put her hand up to Anton. "Trust me, you're going to want one, too."  
Morrigan sat staring at the table while John poured the drinks. He passed over hers. "Here."  
Morrigan nodded and took it. How was she supposed to tell them her story? How was she going to start? Where was she going to start?  
"Dimitrie mentioned wanting to keep you as a q-"  
"Don't say it."  
"...Right. What did he mean? And what happened with Sebastian?"  
Fletcher shook his head. "Don't ask."  
"Actually. That wasn't everything." Morrigan said quietly. Everyone looked at her, but she didn't look up from her glass. "That was...after..." She blinked and swallowed a mouthful.  
"After?"  
She nodded slowly. "Ask yourself, why would a man take a young girl off the streets?"  
There was a short silence.   
"He trafficked you?"   
Morrigan laughed without humor at John's question. "That would have been the least of my problems. No. What he was doing was much, much worse." She held out her glass to John, without looking at him.  
"I think you were right about us wanting that drink..." Dai got up and got another bottle and a few more glasses.  
Morrigan waited for him to sit again before continuing. "It wasn't just me. There were others, but they..."  
 _They didn't have what it takes. You. You are strong enough for this. You should feel honored.  
_ Morrigan shuddered at the memory and drank a mouthful. "They didn't survive. Some of them died as a result of it. Some of them thought it was better to die than to keep living the way we were."  
"As a result of what?"  
Morrigan sipped her drink and blew out a breath heavily.  
"They had a plan. I don't know the details exactly, and I never did find out. All I know is they were desperate for something to happen, so they set up a program of sorts."  
"A program?" Valkyrie asked as Morrigan drank some more.   
Morrigan nodded.  
"What sort of program?"  
Morrigan looked at the table. She didn't want to look at anyone. She didn't want to say. But she had too. Especially if Dimitrie planned on doing the same thing.  
"A bad one. A breeding program."  
A heavy silence fell. Morrigan could almost hear and see the clap of thunder and the streak lightening as she revealed that part of her past. There was more to it, but there was no way she was telling them anymore than that.  
"Morrigan..."  
Morrigan shook her head. "I don't want pity, and I certainly don't want sympathy. The only thing I want is to stop Dimitrie from doing the same thing. A lot of people lost their lives because this. A lot of people lost their minds. Some people lost more than that. Let's just work on stopping him, shall we?"  
"We think that's a brilliant idea."  
Morrigan blinked and looked up at the staircase. Her jaw-dropped and she stood up quickly.  
"You...How...?"  
Two people, a man and a woman, slowly stepped down from the top of the stairs, coming to a stop on the third step. Everyone else had stood up as well, looking from Morrigan to the two people and back again.  
"It's certainly been a while."  
Morrigan shook her head and looked up again. "How are you two still alive?" She stepped around everyone. Someone grabbed her wrist, but she shook whoever it was off, and kept walking.  
The woman was blonde with blue eyes. She was pretty enough. The long sleeved cream coloured shirt and floor length blue skirt suited really well.  
The man had dark brown hair and steely grey eyes. He was about as pretty as she was. He had his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans, wore boots and a brown leather jacket.   
The man shrugged. "We managed. Actually, we're surprised you remembered us."  
Morrigan straightened herself up. "Why wouldn't I? James. Jessica."  
The two stared for a moment, then smiled.  
"Whoa, whoa. Hang on a minute. You know these two?"  
Morrigan nodded. "Yes. They saved me once. Helped me escape."  
Jessica tapped her chin and pouted. "Didn't turn out the way we imagined though."  
James nodded and sighed. "We were unaware you had been recaptured until it too was late. Apologies."  
"No need. You did enough. I should be apologizing to you two in any case. If it weren't for me, your kin wouldn't be-"  
James raised his hand. "What's done is done. That aside, we didn't come here to reminisce."  
Morrigan frowned. "Ok. Then why..."  
Jessica grinned and clapped her hands. James just smiled. "We have something of yours that you may want back."  
"What?"  
James and Jessica turned and looked up to the top of the stairs.   
A tall, slender young man with almost shoulder length dark auburn coloured hair, stood with his hands in his black suit-pants pockets. He wore a black long sleeved dress shirt and white vest. The runners he wore were also white.   
The man smiled as he slowly stepped down the stairs.  
"Hello, Mother."  
Morrigan widened her eyes. "Ryke?"


End file.
